The Mission
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: "Weiss... I don't like this..." And again, Weiss had only spoken the truth. "It's a job, Ruby. We don't have to like it. We just have to get it done."


**For the-heart-alchemist! They asked for some good old White Rose! Though I should say it has a more serious tone than some of my other stories. I'm also using present tense to add to the tension of the atmosphere.**

 **I didn't intend for this to be an AU, but it actually kind of feels like it could be. Ruby and Weiss are a bit older, still working for Ozpin, but are gathering intel rather than fighting Grimm.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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The Mission

It's just another mission.

Just like so many before it.

This is what Ruby reminds herself.

Ozpin had presented them with this mission to collect critical intel and information about their enemies. The sources were credible, but the circumstances were precarious, to say the very least.

The means by which this information would be acquired wasn't as simple as lopping off the heads of monsters and being rewarded with exactly what they wanted. From the moment her headmaster had given her this job, Ruby's stomach had twisted with unease.

The mission was to infiltrate a high-security establishment swarming with the very enemies they were seeking to topple. A gathering of thugs, criminals, and other shady characters of the area, all congregating to a single location to exchange information and make future plans, putting it under the guise of a harmless business meeting.

By using the instructions provided by Ozpin himself, the girls were to locate a particular person, an undercover informant for Beacon Academy. From him, they would obtain a flash drive full of the vital information they sought.

It was just a matter of getting in and out unsuspected, and if possible, undetected altogether.

But Ruby soon discovered the latter part wouldn't be possible.

The next unnerving bit of information about this mission was that Blake and Yang wouldn't be coming along. They had been given an assignment of equal importance to complete elsewhere.

Which meant Ruby and Weiss were alone in this.

Which was what led to the third, and undoubtedly the most unsettling part in all of this.

Weiss had been the one to suggest the strategy they would use. She would utilize her family name and prestige in order to enter the establishment for all to see. After all, it was no secret that some of Schnee's men were corrupt. Why not his daughter, too?

Of course, Weiss had anticipated that she'd be put under suspicion. Everyone on Remnant had heard the news of the Schnee heiress attending Beacon Academy rather than some well-to-do place in Atlas.

She planned to play along with the farce, to keep up appearances and to make them all believe she had knowledge worth their attention. If Weiss could keep the right people distracted for the right amount of time, then it would allow Ruby the freedom to move and meet up with Ozpin's undercover worker, get the flash drive, and sneak away without anyone's noticing.

That was Weiss' plan, anyway.

Of course, Ruby had rejected it right away, refusing to put Weiss' safety at stake.

"No way," she'd grunted. "I'm not gonna let you be a decoy, Weiss. You could get hurt."

And Weiss had stubbornly argued back, as she often did.

"That's the risk of _every_ job, Ruby."

"Yeah, but this one's different!" she'd cried. "We can't bring our weapons here! If they were to catch you, there's no way you could defend yourself against so many of them! And there's no way I'd be able to get in and help you! It's too dangerous!"

" _Ruby_."

And Weiss had said her name in _that_ way.

The way that made Ruby understand that there was no possibility she was going to talk her way out of this, especially not to Weiss Schnee.

So she'd done all she could to refuse one last time, not because of the mission's level of difficulty, but because of her love for her partner.

"Weiss... I don't like this..."

And again, Weiss had only spoken the truth.

"It's a job, Ruby. We don't _have_ to like it. We just have to get it done."

And now, as she leans back against the hotel wall, replaying the memories of three days ago, Ruby realizes the implication of Weiss' words.

 _"We,"_ she'd said. _"We don't have to like it."_

Ruby bites her bottom lip as another wave of nausea threatens to rise up.

She hates this. She absolutely hates it.

More than she hates their enemies.

Her festering discomfort is temporarily dashed by the unlocking of a door, and she straightens up, pulling her back away from the wall to turn and glance at the bathroom door.

She herself was already dressed in the clothes appropriate for her infiltration tonight; a combat skirt, leggings, and boots of darker colors, with her bright red cloak tucked away into the dress behind her back. It would be no issue for her to blend in with the shadows from her standpoint outside the building. She'd be able to disappear without a trace, to the point where - if anyone should see her, they'd never be sure if she'd really been there in the first place or not.

But Weiss' situation is entirely different. Her purpose tonight is exactly the opposite of Ruby's.

While it is Ruby's purpose to go unnoticed, it is Weiss' purpose to draw the attention of every person in the building.

That is why she'd had her father send over her best dress to this hotel's address. She'd tacked on the explanation that she'd be attending a banquet nearby, and, assuming his daughter planned to honor his family name, he'd agreed to have it sent promptly.

Of course, Weiss would still be using it for all the same reasons, but not quite in the kind of environment she'd described.

Ruby marvels at her now, adorned in fabrics of blues and silvers, the colors blending into one another in an appealing display of winter morning skies. The fabrics sculpt her perfect figure as they would on any model, falling all the way down to her ankles, though there is a slit up either side, traveling as far up as her knees.

A downy shawl covers her shoulders and collarbone, where a Schnee emblem broach is positioned ostentatiously at the center, leaving no room for questioning her identity. Her hair is down in all its silver glory, with only a small portion of it pinned up by her tiara at the back of her head.

She is the picture of perfection, regal in every sense of the word, absolutely astounding.

Ruby is speechless as she lays eyes upon her now. Weiss has never looked quite as lovely as this, and for a moment, it quells her nerves.

But that moment doesn't last long when she realizes what Weiss will be forced to do tonight. She won't even be able to enjoy herself in this dazzling attire. Instead, she will be at higher risk than possibly any other time in her life thus far.

Ruby shudders at the thought.

But for now, at least just for now, she allows herself to step forward and embrace her, sighing nervously against the front of her shoulder.

"Weiss... you're beautiful."

She feels Weiss' arms wrap around her back, holding her close.

"You flatter me."

Ruby shakes her head.

"Just accept the compliment, Weiss."

"When did I refuse it?"

Her little joke is enough to break the layers of tension within Ruby's chest, cracking them open until a small chuckle can escape. She clings to the small of Weiss' back and sighs again.

"It's no fair. Those creeps are gonna get to see you like this for longer than I will."

"But you forget," Weiss murmurs. " _They_ won't be the ones taking me back here tonight once all of this is over."

Her words of subtle reassurance are enough to comfort Ruby for a brief moment, before all the worry trickles back in.

Where she is now, pressed close against Weiss as she is, she can tell the heiress isn't feeling as confident as she might like to believe she is. There is a slight hitch in her breath, one that could only be recognizable by a person who has fought and sat and eaten and slept beside her for as many days and nights as Ruby has.

Ruby nuzzles into the side of her neck and stays there, holding her, being held by her. Weiss' heart thumps thickly against her chest, nervously enough for Ruby to feel. She squeezes her just a little bit tighter in an effort to slow it down, to remind Weiss that it's going to be okay.

But that's a little difficult to do when Ruby herself isn't so sure.

She wants to call this off. More than anything, she wants to forget about this mission and their duty and loyalties to Ozpin and just run away, somewhere safe, somewhere they can live without obligation or missions.

But that isn't who they are, and she knows it.

And she knows that Weiss knows it, too.

That is why Ruby can't make the offer.

In addition to potentially insulting Weiss' abilities and wounding her pride, she would be displaying a cowardice attributed only to their unlawful adversaries.

Ruby sighs again, tightens her grip on Weiss, and her partner does the same.

The message is clear; they've come this far, and they've got to see this through.

Tonight.

So they pull away, communicating with nothing more than a shared glance, one they've shared so many times in the past, one they hope they'll be able to share many more times in the future.

But only time would tell.

Ruby checks her scroll to ensure it is charged and silent, the screen's brightness setting on the lowest one possible.

Weiss does the same. Should something go awry tonight, that would be her only way of communicating with Ruby from the inside.

Ruby is to meet with the undercover agent near the entrance to the building, while Weiss is to capture the attention of those inside long enough for Ruby to get what she needs.

But they can't risk being seen leaving this hotel together, in case anyone recognizes either one or both of them.

Therefore, with one last embrace, Ruby lets Weiss go.

"Be careful," she pleads. "I know you will, but I really-"

" _Ruby_."

Again, she says her name _that_ way, and Ruby chokes up. Lifting a hand to her mouth, she inhales shakily and listens to her partner, hoping for words of reassurance.

But Weiss has never been one to sugar-coat reality. It isn't who she is. And she's not about to start now.

"I'll do the best I can. You know I will. While I can't ensure everything will go according to plan, I _can_ promise you that I'm going to do everything within my power to ensure it does."

Ruby sniffles, though there are no tears.

"I wish you'd promise me you'll do all you can to get out safely..."

Weiss smiles weakly, reaching out to place a hand on her leader's shoulder.

"Getting out safely isn't my job tonight. You know that, Ruby."

Ruby whimpers and nods, cursing softly under her breath.

But again, Weiss catches her eye. "But I promise that I'll try to do that, too."

Trying is all she can do.

It's the same for Ruby.

Because she won't be able to jump in and start swinging her scythe if something goes wrong.

Because she's going to have to sit back and play her part while Weiss is playing hers.

Because she's going to have to do the hardest thing she's ever done.

Nothing.

Ruby hugs her, one last time, grasping Weiss' hand and bringing it up to her lips. She kisses the pale, smooth skin stretched over her knuckles, sending five years' worth of affection and courage along with it.

Weiss leans in and kisses the top of her head, leaving a whisper behind.

"Good luck."

For Ruby, luck is all she needs. But Weiss needs something different.

"Be safe."

With that imploring wish, Ruby watches her partner turn away, and disappear out the door, until the last wisp of blue fabric and the last strand of silver hair are out of sight.

She longs to go after her, but reminds herself they can't be seen together tonight – not like this.

So Ruby waits, counting the minutes until she determines it's been long enough for Weiss to get a head start toward their destination.

When it's time, Ruby hurries for the hotel room's window, forcing open the locks and screens that were designed not to move. She needs to get out a different way than Weiss, and take a path that isn't as direct as hers.

So she braces her boots on the edge of the sill and jumps, relishing the disillusioning whip of air past her face, which serves to wake her up, remind her that their mission is now underway.

She has a job to do. First for Ozpin, to gather his intel. Then for her partner, to ensure she makes it out of this unharmed and unsuspected.

Ruby bolts more quickly than the cab Weiss hailed can drive, a whirl of red rose petals in the dark. She runs until she's found the building where the unlawful rendezvous will be held tonight.

From there, Ruby hides in the gardens, concealing herself behind bushes and vines, peering out into the street as people start arriving.

They're all dressed so professionally, so nicely, not a single one of them risking suspicion of their event tonight. They greet each other with kind, friendly words before the guards escort them in.

Ruby hasn't any idea what sort of things will be discussed inside. Every last one of these people has impure intentions, all except for Ozpin's double agent. Ruby recognizes him from a photo Ozpin had sent her. He is a tall, burly man with sleek black hair and a limp in his gait. This is the man she'll need to collect something from tonight.

But not now. Not with the guards still out here. She'll need to wait for the signal.

So wait she does, staying perfectly still and undetected.

Only when a yellow cab arrives does she flinch, watching for herself as Weiss emerges in all her beauty. She takes her time making her way up to the establishment, casting a brief glance over at the gardens, where they'd agreed Ruby would be hiding out. All Ruby can do is send her silent encouragement.

She watches as the men all dressed in fancy suits on the doorstep all suddenly turn, words of admiration and surprise tumbling from their mouths. Things like, "Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?" "To what do we owe the honor, Miss Schnee?" and "I wouldn't have pinned you as the type to show up _here_. But I guess you take after your old man, eh?"

Ruby is forced to watch as the men all but surrounded her partner, two of them taking each of her arms to lead her up the steps. Ruby can't hear the exact words Weiss responds with, but she can tell by her tone and the pace of her voice that she's remaining as calm and composed as ever.

She's always been good at false pretenses. After living a life where hiding her emotions was rewarded and desirable, this job was proving easy for her.

Even though Ruby knows she must be terrified.

She grits her teeth and watches as the men take her inside, leaving one last gruff chuckle behind them.

"Bet you got a _lot_ to tell us, sweetheart."

Ruby swallows thickly. She knows Weiss has a script for tonight, a limit to the things she can say, the lies she can reveal about Beacon and about Ozpin. She'll have to beat around the bush more than anything, pointedly stray from her script in order to make its content last her the hour.

She'd told Ruby beforehand that she could manage that much. She'd anticipated drawing the eye of every person inside, and Ruby can tell even from outside that Weiss had been right about that. She can hear these men laughing, sounding impressed and surprised, as the name "Schnee" sweeps around and out through the open windows.

Weiss' job now is to stall, to buy time for Ruby.

But there is only so much time a small script and pleasantries can buy her before these people start demanding more detailed answers and justifications for her presence here tonight.

But Ruby knows they have to wait, just as Ozpin had ordered them to.

Weiss' appearance is supposed to be the cue for their inside man to excuse himself to the porch for a cigar. He'll only do this if the guards have come inside the building, drawn by the excitement of Weiss Schnee's presence.

Ruby crouches and waits for them to disappear, begging them to go in. If they don't, their middle-man is put at risk, and so is the information relay that is tonight's entire purpose.

And of course, that only puts Weiss at greater risk, too.

For close to twenty minutes, Ruby agonizes beneath the rose bush, silently begging the men to vacate the porch area. She can't imagine what's going on inside, what kind of people Weiss is being forced to converse with.

If anything – _anything_ – goes wrong tonight, they'll break her neck on the spot. Ruby knows this.

And she's aware that Weiss knows this, too. She'd proposed this plan with the full understanding that she might not get out alive. But Ruby is determined to make it work, to get her back safely.

If things go amiss tonight, it is Ruby's job to flee, to get as far away as possible, and to avoid any suspicion.

But she prays it won't have to come to that, because if it does, she _knows_ she'd do the opposite. She'd stay, plow through the building kicking and screaming and look for her partner, if that's what it came down to.

It's just so easy for her to envision all the ways this can go wrong.

The thoughts almost consume her, until movement on the porch catches her eye. The two guards lining the doorway lean over to talk, and Ruby holds her breath.

A moment later, the men disappear inside the building.

Ruby's heart starts to pound.

This is it. If the agent can just notice they're gone and come out...

She waits another several minutes, and it feels like an entire season. She is so anxious she feels she might vomit.

When she next spots movement at the porch, it is one man, not two. A familiar man, holding a cigar.

She barely hesitates to check her surroundings before bolting out of her hiding spot. He only would have come outside when the coast was clear on his end, so she knows she can run freely across the property now.

Even before she gets there, she sees him reaching into his pocket, pull out a small flash drive, and place it on the railing.

Ruby takes her cue, hurrying by like a red breeze and snatching the device up, then vanishing as quickly as she'd come. She glances back over her shoulder to see the man grinning her way. He then turns and heads back inside.

Ruby tucks the flash drive deep into her dress pocket, checking it for holes before doing so.

The transfer was quick and painless. Now she only has to make Weiss' roll end that way.

Ruby dashes along the sidewalks and back to the garden to her hiding spot. Fumbling, she forces her shaking hands to move and dig out her scroll.

It's been about an hour now that Weiss has been inside that place. It's just long enough for her to avoid looking suspicious if she'd left any earlier, and just short enough to be an appropriate time to take her leave.

Ruby can't find her partner's number quickly enough before pressing the call button. Weiss should be waiting for her scroll to ring, and when it does, she'll check it in front of her audience and tell them it's her father calling and that she needs to get home right away. It shouldn't take her any longer than two minutes after Ruby places the call to get out.

But Ruby sits there in the garden, and waits, and waits. Minutes tick by as she flicks her gaze nervously between the building at the clock on her phone.

After seven minutes, she begins to rock back and forth on her heels, pressing her palms over her mouth to stifle her whimpers.

"Weiss... please... oh god, _please_..."

Ten minutes pass.

At this point, her time limit is up. She's supposed to abandon the site and start running.

It's her job.

Ruby have to leave her.

She _has_ to.

Numbly, she falls forward onto her knees, and starts to crawl beneath the bushes. All the while she keeps her eyes trained on that door, for as long as she can.

She freezes, rooted to the spot when two men emerge. She bites her lip so hard it begins to bleed, watching, _praying_...

And a girl all dressed in white steps out between them.

Ruby very nearly shrieks in relief, but clamps her mouth shut as she watches from afar.

The men flank Weiss and follow her all the way down to the street where her cab is waiting. They loom over her, and though they are smiling, Ruby can tell their words are threatening, warning her to behave about what she's seen and heard tonight.

Even after all she's been through – whatever that might've been – Weiss keeps her cool, playing the part of the mischievous daughter of Schnee until the very last second. She smiles, waves to them, then disappears into the cab.

Ruby can see how quickly she slams the door shut, and the driver takes off even before Weiss has buckled her seat belt.

Ruby darts after the vehicle on-foot, following alongside it in the shadows for several blocks. Only once they are far enough away does it stop, in a quiet, secluded part of town, where all the shops are closed and there are no people around.

Ruby conceals herself in an alleyway, watching as Weiss pays the driver, then steps out. As the car drives away, Weiss stumbles to the nearest building and leans heavily against it.

"Ruby...?" She calls out for her partner with a tremor in her tone. "Are you here? Oh, please..."

And Ruby can't run quickly enough. She bursts from the shadows at the sound of her name and throws her arms around Weiss, crying out in relief and gratitude that she's unharmed.

"Weiss, _Weiss_ -!" she squeals. "Oh god, oh god..."

Weiss is shocked only for a second, but soon manages to return the fervent embrace, sighing and shaking against her partner.

"Oh, thank goodness you're all right..." she whispers. "Did you get it?"

Ruby nods into her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, I got it! But that's not important!" She steps back, just enough to look Weiss over, though not enough to let her go. Her silver eyes are heavy with concern, her voice nearly breaking. "Are you okay?"

The heiress sighs and avoids her partner's gaze.

"It... was pretty much what I'd expected in there..."

Ruby's stomach flips as she steps closer again, pulling Weiss into another hug.

"That's not what I asked you..."

She feels Weiss' hands shaking at her back, gripping her clothes tightly to find purchase, to help keep her on her feet. Her words send a shiver shooting up Ruby's spine.

"I'm sorry..."

Dread fills Ruby's chest, and she fears she really might be sick with how worried she is for her partner. Weiss' apology answers her question, even if not directly:

 _"I'm sorry, but no. I'm not okay."_

She doesn't need to say it in order for Ruby to understand.

So she holds her tight for a long moment before stepping back, only to hail another cab. The plan had been for the two of them to go back to their hotel separately after their brief rendezvous here, but Ruby isn't going to leave her again.

She pulls her beloved red cloak off her shoulders and covers Weiss with it, coaxing her into the car before closing her door and scurrying around to the other side.

All the way to the hotel, Ruby sits close to her, holding her. Weiss hides her face in the cloak and is still.

Once they arrive, Ruby pays the driver and helps Weiss out, taking her by the hands. They enter the lobby and hurry to the elevator, drawing as little attention as possible at this late hour. The ride up is silent, as is the walk back to their room.

Ruby fumbles with the key card before pushing inside, then locking the door behind them. Guided only by the moonlight, she takes Weiss across the darkened room over to the bed and sits down beside her. There, Weiss finally breaks down.

"It was... horrible..." she rasps. "The things they said... the things they bragged about doing..."

Ruby listens in subdued silence as she recounts a few of the tales.

One man had boasted about killing a homeless Faunus child, claiming he'd done the world a favor by exterminating a rat.

One man had told of how he'd robbed a Dust shop and shot the owner, and had never been caught or persecuted for the crime.

One man had described an assassination he'd played a part of, the target of which had been a joyful father of three children.

The terrible stories just never end.

Weiss trembles as she recalls each and every one of them.

Both she and Ruby had known from the start that these were the kinds of people Weiss would be dealing with tonight. Criminals, thieves, murderers. All elite members of society who'd gotten away with their crimes, and who were planning more.

That was why Weiss had been made to brag about all the false business ventures she'd supposedly made using her family name. The part she'd played tonight was only so she could fit in and be an effective decoy.

She'd told them how she'd ripped off merchants here or there, how she'd made profit from exploiting members of the community. All lies, of course, but she was good enough as an actress to make any fabrication believable, especially to a room of hot-headed, half-drunken men.

She tells Ruby everything.

Every horrible story they'd told her. Every sleazy comment they'd made about her. Every place they'd laid hands on her.

And while all of the stories about their crimes disgusted and terrified Ruby, nothing did those things more than hearing about how these men had treated her partner.

They'd dared to lay their filthy, blood-soaked hands upon her. They'd dared to taint the air she breathed with their presence.

Ruby knows now what Yang must feel like when she gets angry. She feels like she can really see red.

She needs to take many deep, steadying breaths in order to calm herself.

Bitterly, she bites back every baleful curse she would've liked to shout at those people. Because at least now she has the information she needs that will prevent them from succeeding in their future crimes.

Ozpin's double-agent has worked long and hard to gather this information, and it's more credible than anything else. Once that information is released to the police, every heist and robbery these men have planned will be intercepted. It will only be a matter of time before every other person at that gathering tonight was captured, convicted, and thrown into jail.

Ruby only wishes she could be at the trials herself, to be allowed one good punch to each of their dumbfounded faces for ever daring to lay a hand upon her partner.

After a time, Weiss exhausts herself of her last story. This is when Ruby straightens up and turns to her, gently helping Weiss do the same. Drawing in a steadying breath, she reaches up to bring the hood down from Weiss' head, revealing her tearstained face and ruffled hair. They lock eyes, and Ruby leans in to kiss her.

"It's okay," she whispers. "It's all over now. I'm sorry you had to..." She pauses, exhales, lets her anger go with it. "Where?"

She doesn't need to ask any more than that.

Slowly, Weiss brushes the cloak aside and touches her own shoulders in turn, then trails her hand down her side to rest at her hip. Ruby watches her motions, flinching as Weiss keeps going, tracing the paths of every spot where those men had made contact.

It lasts for only a few seconds, but that's already far too many seconds too long to begin with.

Ruby pulls her in again, letting Weiss hide in her arms.

It is hardly the act of having her personal space violated that bothers Weiss. Ruby knows she's had to live many, many years being forced to accept a certain level of space invasion on the part of men. She's grown all but immune to most of their touches and would allow them up until a certain point, if only for the sake of keeping up appearances.

But what bothers her now is less the fact that these men tonight had touched her in suggestive ways, but the fact that they'd touched her at all.

These criminals. These thieves. These murderers.

Ruby can only pray that her own touch can make it a little better.

"I'm sorry... It's over now... I'm so sorry..."

She traces her own hands over the places Weiss had indicated before, willing her touch to erase theirs. Weiss cries quietly, murmuring words of gratitude to her.

Ruby kisses her cheek, then her brow, then her lips.

Over and over, she kisses her, murmuring promises against her skin and clothes, rubbing away the touch of the tainted people who'd encroach on Weiss' comfort.

She soon feels her hands won't be enough to rid Weiss of this awful feeling. When she suggests a shower, Weiss weakly agrees. Ruby helps her up and leads her to the bathroom.

Before she lets her go, she kisses her one more time.

"I'll be right here," she promises. "If you need me... for _anything_ at all, just call for me."

Weiss nods, then slips away.

Ruby sits in the bedroom, the mattress still depressed at her side in the spot where Weiss had been sitting moments earlier. She waits, doing her best to control her own emotions, to release her rage by reminding herself that Weiss is safe now.

Briefly, she stands in order to extract the flash drive – a tiny reward for all this torment – and her scroll from her pockets. She places them atop the dresser, because at first light, Ozpin will send a ship for them, and she and Weiss will be brought back to Beacon.

Ruby retreats to the bed, huddling into her cloak. It smells like Weiss.

She pictures her in the shower, trying to scrub off every vile touch she's been made to feel tonight. Weiss takes a long time, and Ruby fears it'll never be enough.

At last, the water stops, and the sound of the hair dryer picks up. It is loud in this quiet hour of the night. Certainly loud enough to drown out the sounds of sobbing.

Again, all Ruby can do is wait. She changes out of her clothes, into a simple nightgown, then folds her cloak and dress and puts them aside.

Finally, the bathroom door opens, and Weiss steps out, her nightgown ruffled and hair wet. Ruby rushes to her side and helps her to bed, crawls in beside her.

Weiss is drawn into her arms and sighs against her. Ruby just kisses her, over and over, anywhere she can reach.

Eventually, her lips replace her hands along Weiss' shoulders and sides, erasing the horrible feelings directly. The rough, hard touches that had violated her are now covered with softer, kinder, touches.

Ruby kisses away their malice with her love.

Weiss cries softly for a long time as Ruby cleanses her of everything she'd wanted to forget. The blood of the murdered Faunus child and the innocent shopkeep that had been intangibly smeared over her body were brushed away with Ruby's whispers of love and affection.

She reminds Weiss that it's all over, that she's safe now, that she'll never have to do anything like that ever again. Ruby will make sure of it.

She kisses up from Weiss' stomach to the beat in her chest. She kisses over her heartbeat so tenderly it elicits more tears from her partner. Weiss hugs her dearly, peppering tiny kisses over the shell of Ruby's ear, down the side of her neck and to the top of her shoulder.

Ruby continues her way up, planting warm, chaste kisses over her neck, and as far up as her lips.

She knows kisses are meant to wake a princess. But tonight, Ruby kisses hers until she falls asleep.

Until Weiss can forget all she's endured this evening.

Until she can safely succumb to dreams where she is treasured and loved, dreams that match her reality with Ruby.

Ruby settles in against her and sighs, keeping Weiss close.

"I love you..."

She knows Weiss is aware of this. Even if they don't say it as often as they should, they still show it in plenty of ways. Tonight, they've shown it more clearly than most other times before.

Ruby vows she'll continue to show Weiss again tomorrow, and for every day after that as well.

This is her own mission, not one given to her as an order.

This is the mission she'll never get tired of fulfilling.

The mission she'll never come to regret.

* * *

 **A/N: It's been a while since I've written a good old White Rose oneshot. Even if this was a bit of an AU kind of thing, I enjoyed creating it and writing in this tense. It's more serious than most of my White Rose fics thus far, but I'm okay with it.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on P-a-t-r-e-o-n as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


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